Multi-unit package with curved contour

ABSTRACT

A package characterized by a double row of product containers which are in the form of tubs each having its side wall tapering downwardly and inwardly from an outwardly directed top flange on the top face of which the margins of a sheet-like cover member are sealed, and a wrapper forming blank of foldable sheet material which is tightly drawn about the top, bottom and oppositely disposed portions of the inner side walls of the containers and forms the top wall into a generally convex or relatively shallow peaked contour in close contact with top portions of the container cover members so as to prevent damage thereto, with a relatively narrow gusset panel at each end of the tube formed by the wrapper which depends from a hinge line formed by inwardly bowed or inwardly directed scores and which is held at opposite ends by a folded web section integrally connected to the associated side wall of the wrapper.

Rossi [451 Aug. 13, 1974 MULTl-UNIT PACKAGE WITH CURVED CONTOUR [75] Inventor: Harry .1. Rossi, Parsippany, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Federal Paper Board Company, Inc.,

Montvale, NJ.

[22] Filed: Mar. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 235,644

[52] US. Cl..... 206/427, 206/526, 229/40 [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/08, B65d 65/06 [58] Field of Search 229/40; 220/97 F; 206/65 R, 65 K [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,878,985 3/1959 Rossam 229/40 2,904,170 9/1959 Hennessey ct al. 229/40 X 3,078,989 2/1963 Curran et a1. 206/65 R 3,128,010 4/1964 Forrer 229/40 X 3,278,075 10/1966 Weiss 229/40 X 3,432,029 3/1969 Brown 206/65 E 3,604,614 9/1971 Stcrufeld 229/40 3,680,691 8/1972 Lock 206/65 R 3,693,788 9/1972 229/40 X Oglesbee 3,705,681 12/1972 Rossi et a1. 229/40 Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Guy A. Green awalt [57] ABSTRACT A package characterized by a double row of product containers which are in the form of tubs each having its side wall tapering downwardly and inwardly from an outwardly directed top flange on the top face of I which the margins of a sheet-like cover member are sealed, and a wrapper forming blank of foldable sheet material which is tightly drawn about the top, bottom and oppositely disposed portions of the inner side walls of the containers and forms the top wall into a generally convex or relatively shallow peaked contour in close contact with top portions of the container cover members so as to prevent damage thereto, with a relatively narrow gusset panel at each end of the tube formed by the wrapper which depends from a hinge line formed by inwardly bowed or inwardly directed scores and which is held at opposite ends by a folded web section integrally connected to the associated side wall of the wrapper.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures fAIENIED mm 31am SHEEI 2 [IF 2 MULTI-UNIT PACKAGE WITH CURVED CONTOUR This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a package of product containers which are in the form of tubs with tapered side walls, arranged in double row formation, and enclosed in a wrapper of paperboard or similar material, with the wrapper encircling the assembly of containers and retaining the same in tightly wrapped relation therein.

The introduction of new container designs for products generally creates a demand for special packaging design. This is particularly true when products are packaged in containers which depart from conventional form or shape. Recently, there has been developed a number of consumer products which lend themselves to small quantity packaging for single serving use. Puddings and similar food products have been introduced as so-called snacks, with a relatively small quantity of the product being packaged in an easily opened container, for example, a pop-top can. For economy in handling and convenience to the consumer it has been found desirable to market such products in multiples, generally four or six in a package unit. When the products are placed in metal cans of conventional cylindrical shape groups thereof are readily packaged by conventional wrapping methods. However, for a number of reasons, the packaging of single serving puddings and the like in metal cans has met with serious objections and in an effort to overcome the objections to the metal containers there has been developed a tublike container of plastic, with side walls tapering downwardly and inwardly from an outturned flange on which the margins of a sheet-like cover may be sealed to form a readily removable closure member. This type container eliminates the danger inherent in the use of metal containers which, when opened, may have sharp edges. However, the introduction of this type container for the so-called snack products has created a multiunit packaging problem because conventional wrapping materials and methods do not produce a satisfactory package.

It is ageneral object of the present invention to provide a wraparound type packaging arrangement which is particularly useful for packaging a double row of tublike product containers having side walls tapering downwardly and inwardly from a top flange on which a top closure forming cover sheet is sealed.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a wrapper blank of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material which is cut and scored so that it maybe folded about the top, bottom and oppositely disposed outer side walls of a group of tub-like product containers of the type having downwardly tapered side walls,

which containers are disposed in double. row formation,

so as to retain the containers in the tube-like wrapper thus formed and provide a tightly wrapped, multi-unit package assembly which has a neat and distinctive apnecting the end portions thereof and for drawing them inwardly soas' to close the gap between opposed inner side wall portions of the containers enclosed in the tube thus formed and to form a convex curved or contoured top wall which bears on at least portions of the container top closures and which has relatively narrow end gussets depending from a hinge connection with the top panel side edges. which gussets bow inwardly and partially close the otherwise open ends of the tube.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiunit packaging arrangement which is particularly adapted for a group of aseptically packaged tub-like product containers having downwardly tapered side walls and a relatively flat closure forming cover sheet sealed to peripheral top flanges wherein a double row of the containers is tightly held in a tube-like wrapper formed from a generally rectangular sheet of paperboard material which is creased and cut so that it may be wrapped around the top, outer side walls and the bottom of the product containers with its ends connected and drawn tightly in so as to close the gap otherwise present between opposed inner sidewall portions of the containers in the rows, and to form the top panel into a generally convex or relatively shallow peaked contour so as to engage at least portions of the tilted tops of the product containers and to maintain the closure seal integrity, with the top wall panel having concave end gusset panels which are hinged to opposite ends of the top panel on inwardly bowed or inwardly directed hinge lines defining the side edges of the panel and restraining the containers against endwise movement in the wrapper tube. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will-be apparent from a consideration of the several forms of the package which are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-unit package which embodies therein the principal features of the FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the inside face of the blank which is employed in the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view illustrating the manner in which the packages may be stacked;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the package;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross sectional view taken on the line 10l0 of FIG. 9, to an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 11 is a partial plan view showing the center portion of the blank which is employed in fabricating the package of FIG. 9.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 6, the product containers C which are adapted to be enclosed in the wrapper W are of tub-like form with side walls which taper downwardly to a flat bottom B. At the top or mouth of the container or tub C an outwardly directed, relatively narrow flange F provides a top surface on which the margins of a closure sheet S may be sealed. The tublike container is formed of molded or shaped plastic and is designed particularly for packaging a custard or a similar product in a relatively small quantity such as designed for a singleserving. The size and shape of the container C with the flanges F results in a gap or space G between the opposed inner side wall portions of the containers when they are placed in a row in side-byside relation to form a group suitable for packaging, as illustrated in FIG. 6. When enclosed in the wrapper W in accordance with the present invention the transversely aligned pairs of containers are drawn towards each other to close the gap G between the opposed side wall portions as shown in FIG. 5 and to tightly grip the containers in the package and prevent relative movement which could otherwise rupture the seals between the flanges F and the closure members S.

, The wrapper W comprises a blank of suitable weight paperboard or like material, which is illustrated in FIG. 7, and which is initially cut and scored for folding about a double row of the containers C so as to form a package unit of four containers. The wrapper blank W is symmetrical about a-longitudinal center line indicated at aa. The blank is cut so as to form a rectangular center portion and end portions 11 and 12 with the latter being of narrower width than the center portion 10. The center portion 10 is scored to provide a top wall forming panel 14 for the package, which panel 14 is defined by longitudinally spaced, transverse score lines 15 and 16 and laterally spaced, longitudinally extending, inwardly bowed score lines 17 and 18 which separate from the center panel 14 side wall forming panels 20 and 21 and gusset panels 22 and 23, respectively, the latter being at opposite sides of the blank. The side wall panels 20 and 21 extend in lengthwise direction of the blank to transverse score lines 24 and 25 which areequally spaced longitudinally from the transverse score lines 15 and 16 a distance slightly greater than the over-all height of the containers C and which are aligned with the ends of the center section 10 of the blank. The side wall forming panel 20 at one end ofthe blank section 10 is defined at its opposite ends by score lines 26, 26 which extend diagonally from the intersection of the score line 15 with the bowed score lines 17 and 18 and terminate at opposite ends of the transverse score line 24 which separates the blank sections 10 and 11. The side wall panel 21 at the other end of the blank section 10 is defined at its opposite ends by the score lines 27 and 27 which extend from the intersection of the transverse score line 16 with the bowed score lines 17 and 18 to opposite ends of the transverse score line 25 which separates the blank section 10 from the bottom wall forming end section 12. The score lines 26 and 26 at the one end of the blank section 10 together with the score lines 28 and 28, which extend from the intersection of the transverse score line 15 with the bowed score lines 17 and 18 diagonally to the side edges of the blank section 10, define connecting web portions 30 and 30. The web portions 30 and 30 are subdivided by diagonal score lines 31 and 31 which extend from the intersection of the transverse score line 15 with the bowed score lines 17 and 18 to the side edges of the blank section 10. At the opposite end of the blank section 10 diagonal score lines 32 and 32', which extend from the ends of the transverse score line 16 diagonally to the side edges of the blank section 10, co-operate with the diagonal score lines 27 and 27' in forming connecting corner web members 33 and 33' which are subdivided by diagonal score lines 34 and 34. The comer web forming portions or panels 30, 30' and 33, 33' in the package formation, form foldable connections between the opposite ends of the side wall panels 20 and 21 and the gusset panels 22 and 23 with the triangular-shaped portions 35, 35 which are defined by the score lines 28, 31 and 28', 31' at the one end of the blank section 10 and the corresponding triangular shaped web portions 36, 36'at the opposite end of the blank section 10 being adapted to fold onto the main portion of the web members 30, 30' and 33, 33 and to lie along the side walls 20 and 21, as'illustrated with respect to the web 33 in FIG. 6.

The end panel sections 11 and 12 of the wrapper blank W are adapted to be connected beneath the bottom walls of the containers C to form the bottom wall of the package unit. Relatively small rectangular cutouts 40, 40' and 41, 41' are provided in the bottom wall forming panels 11 and 12 which are spaced along the score lines 24 and 25 on opposite sides of the center line a-a so as to be aligned with bottom edge portions of the containers C when the blank W is wrapped around the two rows of the same. These cutouts or apertures 40, 40 and 41, 41 extend into the bottom wall forming panels 11 and 12 so that edges 42, 42' and 43,

43' thereof are spaced inwardly of the associated bot-- tom side wall hinge line 24 or 25. The one end panel 11 is also provided with apertures 44 and 44 for receiving combination locking and container separating tongues 45 and 45 which are carried on the free end edge of a locking panel 46 at the opposite end of the blank which is adapted to hinge about a transverse score line 47 along which locking tabs 48 and 48' are cut for co-operation with the innermost edges 50 and 50' of the locking apertures 44 and 44'. The locking apertures .44, 44, locking tabs 48, 48' and locking tongues 45, 45' are the same as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,593, granted to Arthur J. Weiss.

The bottom wall forming panels or sections 11 and .12 of the. blank are dimensioned lengthwise of the blank so as to result, when the wrapper is folded about a double row container assembly and the panels 11 and 12 are connected by interengaging the latching elements, in drawing the bottom portions of oppositely disposed containers C into engagement with the upstanding separating tongues 45 and 45 as shown in FIG. 5. The small rectangular apertures 40, 40 and 41, 41 facilitate the drawing of the panels 11 and 12 toward each other by means of laterally reciprocating tightening fingers on the machine for assembling the wrappers and the containers to form the package units as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,386, granted to Robert H. Ganz. These apertures 40, 40' and 41, 41 also provide an anchorage for outside edge portions of the containers C as shown in FIG. 5. This drawing together of the panels 11 and 12 substantially eliminates the gap G which would otherwise be present between the laterally aligned pairs of containers.

The top wall forming panel 14 is dimensioned, in the lengthwise direction of the blank, or the crosswise dimension of the package unit, so as to draw the top portions of the containers C which are transversely aligned into a position where the flanges F overlap as shown in FIG. 5. The drawing of the bottom portions of the containers toward each other so as to reduce the gap G results in an appreciable tilting of the containers into the position shown in FIG. 5. This brings the top wall panel 14 into close downward contact with portions of the cover sheets of each of the containers and aids in maintaining the seal between the cover sheet and the flange F, while providing an upwardly bowed or convex contour to the top wall panel 14. In the normal position, when resting on a level surface, the bottom wall forming panels 11 and 12 will remain in a horizontal plane as shown in FIG. 5. However, the package units may be stacked as shown in FIG. 8 with the bottom wall panels 11 and 12 bowing upwardly and forming a contour of the same character as the top wall panel of the package unit beneath the same. This enables more stable stacking of the package units when a plurality of the same i are placed in a carton for shipment or stacked on a shelf or other support for display in a retail store, or the like. The end wall gusset panels 22 and 23 are bowed inwardly by the curved score lines 17 and 18 and not only enhance the appearance of the package but also provide a barrier against endwise movement of the containers in the package.

In forming the package the top wall forming panel 14 of the wrapper blank W is engaged with the top surface of a double row assembly of the product containers C and the blank is wrapped around the assembly with the gusset panels 22, 23 being hinged downwardly about the hinge lines 17 and 18 and the corner connecting webs 30, 30' and 33, 33' being folded so as to lie against the inner surface of downwardly folded side wall panels and 21. The bottom wall forming panels 11 and 12 are folded inwardly and latched together by engaging the locking tongues 45, 45 and locking tabs 48, 48 in the apertures 44, 44 with the tongues 45, 45 being swung to upstanding position so as to form separator members between the transversely aligned pairs of containers C. The tightening apertures 40, 40 and 41, 41' enable tightening fingers on a packaging machine to be engaged with the inner edges thereof and moved toward each other so as to draw the panels 11 and 12 into position to tightly grip the assembly of containers C while the latch elements are engaged. The resultant package has a top panel with an upwardly contoured shape, while the side walls taper downwardly and inwardly and the end gusset panels 22, 23 have an inward bow. The product containers C are tightly held in the package and restrained against relative movement.

A modified form of the package is illustrated in FIGS.

9 to 11. In this form of the package the center section 110 of the wrapper blank WW isscored as shown in FIG. 11, on the parallel, spaced, transverse lines 124 and 125 which define side edges of the top wall forming panel 114 and which separate the top wall forming panel 114 from the side wall forming panels 120 and 121 and also on a parallel, transverse line. 150 which is intermediate the lines 124 and 125 and which is extended through the gusset panels 122 and 123. The top wall forming panel 114 is defined at its ends by pairs of inwardly slanted score lines 117 and 118 which extend between corresponding ends of the transverse score lines and form hinge lines for the gusset panels 122 and 123.

The modified form of the wrapper WW is applied to an assembly of the product containers C in the same manner as the wrapper blank W. The score line 150 results in a shallow, upwardly peaked top surface on the resultant packagewhile the gusset panels 122 and 123 are bowed inwardly by the hinge lines 117 and 118.

I claim:

1. A package comprising a wrapper and an assembly of product containers which containers are arranged in a double row and in transversely aligned pairs, said containers each having side walls tapering downwardly and inwardly and atop cover member seated at its margins on a relatively narrow, outwardly projecting flange portion at the top of the side walls, said wrapper being formed from a generally rectangular paperboard blank which is cut and scored so as to be folded about said container assembly, said wrapper having a top wall forming panel disposed on the top of said containers, adjoining side wall forming panels folded on transverse score lines downwardly so as to lie along the inwardly tapering side walls of said containers and bottom wall forming end panels adjoining the side wall panels which are folded on transverse score lines into bottom wall forming relation, said top wall forming panel having relatively narrow gusset forming side marginal portions separated therefrom by inwardly converging crease lines on which said gusset forming panel portions are hinged downwardly into end wall forming relation and which cause inward bowing of said gusset forming portions and foldable web sections connecting the adjoining ends of the gusset forming panels with the side wall panels, said wrapper being tightly wrapped about said containers, with the side wall panels connecting the top and bottom wall forming panels and tapering downwardly and inwardly to the bottom wall, said bottom wall forming panels having connecting marginal portions and said bottom wall forming panels having a dimension, in a direction normal to said transverse score lines, when said bottom wall forming panels are drawn toward each other and said connecting portions are engaged which is less than the corresponding dimension of the top wall and approximates the combined width of a pair of transversely aligned containers at the bottom thereof, whereby oppositely disposed, downwardly tapered side wall portions of the container pairs are in approximately parallel relation and said top wall panel is bowed upwardly with portions of its bottom face engaging portions of the oppositely tilted top surfaces of the containers and the containers are restrained against endwise movement by said inwardly bowed end wall gusset panel portions.

2. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottom wall forming panels have connecting marginal portions with co-operating locking apertures and locking tabs which are interlocked and the bottom wall forming panels are drawn toward each other so that the bottom portions of the product containers are tightly gripped.

3. A package asset forth in claim 1 wherein said top wall forming panel and said narrow end wall gusset forming panels are provided with at least one crease line extending transversely of said panels which facilitates upward bowing of said top wall forming panel and inward bowing of said end-wall gusset forming panels.

4. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein'said top wall forming vpanel has crease lines in said marginal side portions which are bowed inwardly so as to divide therefrom gusset panels which are hinged downwardly on said crease lines with the top edges in upwardly bowed position and which are connected at opposite ends to the adjoining side wall forming panels by web 6. A package comprising a double row of product filled containers arranged in transversely aligned pairs which containers are characterized by side walls tapering downwardly and inwardly and a top cover member sealed at its margins to a relatively narrow, outwardly projecting flange portion at the top of the side walls and presenting a planar top surface on the respective containers, and a wrapper forming paperboard blank having a top wall panel, adjoining side wall panels and bottom wall panels having means in their margins which are adapted to be connected in interlocking engagement and which include tabs for separating pairs of containers, said wrapper blank being tightly drawn about said containers, with the side wall panels which connect the top and bottom wall panels tapering downwardly and inwardly and the bottom wall panels drawn toard each other and interlocked so that the width of the bottom wall is somewhat less than the combined width of pairs of containers at the bottom thereof and opposed, downwardly tapered side wall portions of the container pairs are drawn into generally parallel, closely spaced relation, with said separator tabs upstanding from the bottom wall and disposed between bottom edges of the side walls of said pairs of containers, said containers being tilted and said top wall panel being bowed upwardly and its bottom face engaging portions of the oppositely tilted planar top surfaces of the containers, and relatively narrow gusset panels connected to the end edges of the top wall panel, inwardly bowed hinge lines dividing said gusset panels from said top wall panel and said gusset panels extending downwardly therefrom and in inwardly bowed relation between the side walls so as to restrain the end containers against endwise movement. 

1. A package comprising a wrapper and an assembly of product containers which containers are arranged in a double row and in transversely aligned pairs, said containers each having side walls tapering downwardly and inwardly and a top cover member seated at its margins on a relatively narrow, outwardly projecting flange portion at the top of the side walls, said wrapper being formed from a generally rectangular paperboard blank which is cut and scored so as to be folded about said container assembly, said wrapper having a top wall forming panel disposed on the top of said containers, adjoining side wall forming panels folded on transverse score lines downwardly so as to lie along the inwardly tapering side walls of said containers and bottom wall forming end panels adjoining the side wall panels which are folded on transverse score lines into bottom wall forming relation, said top wall forming panel having relatively narrow gusset forming side marginal portions separated therefrom by inwardly converging crease lines on which said gusset forming panel portions are hinged downwardly into end wall forming relation and which cause inward bowing of said gusset forming portions and foldable web sections connecting the adjoining ends of the gusset forming panels with the side wall panels, said wrapper being tightly wrapped about said containers, with the side wall panels connecting the top and bottom wall forming panels and tapering downwardly and inwardly to the bottom wall, said bottom wall forming panels having connecting marginal portions and said bottom wall forming panels having a dimension, in a direction normal to said transverse score lines, when said bottom wall forming panels are drawn toward each other and said connecting portions are engaged which is less than the corresponding dimension of the top wall and approximates the combined width of a pair of transversely aligned containers at the bottom thereof, whereby oppositely disposed, downwardly tapered side wall portions of the container pairs are in approximately parallel relation and said top wall panel is bowed upwardly with portions of its bottom face engaging portions of the oppositely tilted top surfaces of the containers and the containers are restrained against endwise movement by said inwardly bowed end wall gusset panel portions.
 2. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottom wall forming panels have connecting marginal portions with co-operating locking apertures and locking tabs which are interlocked and the bottom wall forming panels are drawn toward each other so that the bottom portions of the product containers are tightly gripped.
 3. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said top wall forming panel and said narrow end wall gusset forming panels are provided with at least one crease line extending transversely of said panels which facilitates upward bowing of said top wall forming panel and inward bowing of said end wall gusset forming panels.
 4. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said top wall forming panel has crease lines in said marginal side portions which are bowed inwardly so as to divide therefrom gusset panels which are hinged downwardly on said crease lines with the top edges in upwardly bowed position and which are connected at opposite ends to the adjoining side wall forming panels by web members which are folded into flat engagement with the inner faces of said side wall panels.
 5. A package as set forth in claim 4 wherein said hinge forming crease lines which divide the end wall forming gusset panels from the top wall forming panel extend inwardly from opposite ends of said gusset panels with straight portions which are in inwardly converging relation and terminate at an intersection with a transverse crease line in the top wall forming panel.
 6. A package comprising a double row of product filled containers arranged in transversely aligned pairs which containers are characterized by side walls tapering downwardly and inwardly and a top cover member sealed at its margins to a relatively narrow, outwardly projecting flange portion at the top of the side walls and presenting a planar top surface on the respective containers, and a wrapper forming paperboard blank having a top wall panel, adjoining side wall panels and bottom wall panels having means in their margins which are adapted to be connected in interlocking engagement and which include tabs for separating pairs of containers, said wrapper blank being tightly drawn about said containers, with the side wall panels which connect the top and bottom wall panels tapering downwardly and inwardly and the bottom wall panels drawn toard each other and interlocked so that the width of the bottom wall is somewhat less than the coMbined width of pairs of containers at the bottom thereof and opposed, downwardly tapered side wall portions of the container pairs are drawn into generally parallel, closely spaced relation, with said separator tabs upstanding from the bottom wall and disposed between bottom edges of the side walls of said pairs of containers, said containers being tilted and said top wall panel being bowed upwardly and its bottom face engaging portions of the oppositely tilted planar top surfaces of the containers, and relatively narrow gusset panels connected to the end edges of the top wall panel, inwardly bowed hinge lines dividing said gusset panels from said top wall panel and said gusset panels extending downwardly therefrom and in inwardly bowed relation between the side walls so as to restrain the end containers against endwise movement. 